4 UPWORD www.winnipegconstruction.ca I have been in the construction industry since 1973 when it was most definitely an all-male environment and it stayed that way for many years. Construction was seen as a dirty industry, not a career for women. But the perception has changed as the number of women in the engineering and architectural professions has grown, and now we see women enter trade apprenticeships and the contracting side of the business. We still have a long way to go before we see women at all levels represented fully in our industry. Some years ago, when the new Winnipeg Construction Association Board of Directors was published in the local newspaper, we were criticized for being an all-male board. I am pleased to say that our current board includes three women and it is my hope that it won’t be long before we have a woman on our executive committee and the first female chairperson of our association. This past October, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) appointed Mary Van Buren to succeed Michael Atkinson as the association’s new president. Van Buren has worked in the private, public and not- for-profit sectors and has held executive roles at leading associations and not-for-profits. Flip to page 50 to learn more about Van Buren and what she hopes to accomplish in her new role. WCA is proud of our association with Manitoba Women in Construction (MWC), an exciting and growing organization that promotes the recruitment and retainment of women in construction and which, through its events, has created a supportive networking forum for women in the industry. Read all about women who have overcome obstacles in Manitoba’s construction industry on pages 32-39. And if you are a woman in the industry looking for a way to build your confidence, network and story, visit www.mbwomeninconstruction.com. “The times they are a-changing”...and for the better. Andy Dutfield, Chairperson FROM OUR CHAIR The Times they are a-Changing